Rangers omitted from SPL fixture list

18 June 2012 10:18

Cash-strapped Glasgow giants Rangers were omitted from the Scottish Premier League (SPL) fixture list announced Monday, with their place taken by a yet-to-be decided 'Club 12'.

Rangers were docked 10 points for entering administration last season, a decision that helped Celtic win the SPL title.

League officials have still to decide if Rangers will play in Scottish football's top-flight next season after a consortium led by English businessman Charles Green took over the club by creating a new company to run its business.

If Rangers do become 'Club 12' they will be away to Kilmarnock on August 4. If not, their place will be taken by either relegated Dunfermline or First Division runners-up Dundee.

Should Rangers remain in the top flight, the first Old Firm game will be at Parkhead on September 22, with another, at Ibrox, on Boxing Day.

Celtic begin the defence of their title at home to Aberdeen.

Craig Brown's men head to Parkhead on August 4 to take on Neil Lennon`s runaway winners - their eventual margin of success being 20 points, although that was in some part down to the off-field problems at bitter rivals Rangers.

New boys Ross County start with a home meeting with Champions League-bound Motherwell, who have entered European club football's elite tournament on the back of Rangers' financial problems, while managerless Hearts are at home to St Johnstone and St Mirren host Inverness.

Dundee United are at home to Hibernian the following day.

There is an early Edinburgh derby on August 11 with Hearts heading to Hibernian in a repeat of last season's Scottish Cup final won by the Jambos.

Last month, Rangers won their court battle against a transfer embargo imposed by the Scottish Football Association (SFA).

The SFA's disciplinary panel last month imposed a 12-month ban that stopped Rangers registering players aged 18 and over, but a judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled the panel acted outside of their powers.

The full extent of Rangers' financial problems was revealed shortly before the SFA punishments in April.

Rangers' administrators estimated the club's total debts could top Â£134 million, including more than Â£93 million which is being claimed by British tax authorities.